Kedarkantha trek can be done throughout the year but Kedarkantha in December is simply awesome covered in white sheet of snow which makes it a perfect Winter Trek to enjoy snow right up to the summit of Kedarkantha.
Our Trekkers shares his experience of Kedarkantha Trek in December
With the advent of the New Year I, like a billion other people, decided to turn my life around this year. And what better way to do that, than escaping right into the lap of Mother Nature i.e. The Himalayas to break free from my boring, mechanized, city life and rejuvenate. Because of my quest for adventure and unforgettable experiences, and my lack of trekking experience, The Kedarkantha trek seemed like the perfect option.
Kedarkantha Trek Best Snow Trek for Beginners
The Kedarkantha trek is a 5 days and 4 night’s round trip trek which starts and ends at Dehradun. The difficulty level of the trek is moderate and is a great option for all those who do not have much experience trekking. Kedarkantha is a beautiful rounded peak situated in the picturesque tons river valley. It is located in the Singtur range of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand, India and is elevated at a height of 3800 metres above the sea level. Sankri serves as the basecamp for Kedarkantha Trek and lot of other treks starts from Sankri as well like Har Ki Dun Trek, Rupin Pass Trek etc.
Kedarkantha Trek in December Daywise logs
Drive from Dehradun to Sankri
DAY 1: I was travelling from Delhi with a few friends but we were lucky enough to meet some of our trek mates on the train itself which gave us more time to interact before the trek began. Upon reaching Dehradun, we called our driver which was arranged by Himalayan Holidays and he guided us to where to meet and we started our drive to Sankri our basecamp for Kedarkantha Trek. The drive was absolutely beautiful and gave us a taste of what lies ahead. Driving along the tons river was definitely a highlight of the trip. Upon reaching Sankri we were divided into groups and allocated our tents for the night. I am basically from Mumbai and for us Lonavala is cold but here at Sankri the temperature was around -3 during the night we were wondering what it would at the summit and How the camping over the snow would be.
- Also Read: Best Time for Kedarkantha Trek
Trek from Sankri to Juda Ka Talab
DAY 2: Juda Ka Talab and trek organizer team and our guides call it JKT and also they call Kedarkantha as KK. We start our day around 7 AM wakeup call and hot cup of tea in our tent and followed by set of morning exercise session. Today was a little cloudy and the entire setting looked straight out of a travel magazine. (One of those 1000 things to do before you die articles) After a heavy breakfast of cornflakes, masala chai and paranthas, we began our trek at 8 AM sharp. We trekked through dense pine forests with some sensational views. Our trekking instructor familiarized us with several techniques to minimize breaks and reaching the next camp site in time. From spotting wild boars, hares and langoors to drinking the sweetest water from the brooks, this day gave us memories that we will cherish forever. Upon trekking for a few more hours we reached mid point and we all were very excited to the snow for the first time. Kedarkantha Trek in December is said to be best enjoy snow and more importantly snowfall. It was little tricky to walk in the snow and our guides were running at the same time. Our campise JKT (Juda Ka Talab) is surrounded by Pine trees and our tents were already pitched beside the lake. Although I should’ve been exhausted from all the walking and trekking, sleep did not come to me for a long time.
I kept thinking about this poem by Sanober khan:
“I do not want to sleep,
For fear I might miss the twinkle of the brightest star.
For fear I may never know,
How the moon glimmers in the darkest hour.”
Trek from Juda Ka Talab to Kedarkantha Base
DAY 3: Generally snowfall happens at Kedarkantha Trek in December. I woke up early in the morning to see the magical sunrise at the Juda ka Talab with the golden glow spreading over the snow clad peaks and reflecting over the lake spreading warmth all over the clearing.
A morning this beautiful always makes me retrospect, makes my city life problems seem so trivial, and makes me want to believe in a god for only he could’ve thought of something as divine as this. Today was a comparatively lighter day.
We were given ample amount of time to enjoy and explore the wilderness. Being a photography enthusiast I managed to get some fantastic shots of the scenic beauty around me. After a lunch of delicious dal chawal and mangoes, prepared by our trekking instructor (with our help of course), we trekked for 4 hours to reach the next came site that is the Kedarkantha base camp.
Kedarkantha Summit
DAY 4: Today, after an early breakfast, we started trekking to summit the Kedarkantha peak. We cleared several meadows covered in gorgeous wild flowers and grazing cattle. Despite the exhaustion, the feeling of summiting a peak is so exquisite, that it almost instantaneously filled us with energy. The mountain was summited with the 15 of us running full speed towards the top, yelling on top of our lungs! The view from the peak was, for lack of a better word, DREAMY! We had the best lunch of our lives in this mesmerising setting of snow clad peaks around us and only the sound of our laughter filling the air. After observing, exploring and photographing this peak, we trekked down to Hargaon to spend the night.
Trek from Kedarkantha Base to Sankri and Drive to Dehradun
DAY 5: We followed a stone market trail in Hargaon which led us to a dense pine and walnut forest. The minute we entered the forest, all our senses were heighted. We could smell the fresh fragrance of the leaves, we could hear the birds chirping, I also spotted a carcass of a wild boar I think! The walk was always accompanied by the jokes and funny banter between us. This was the last day of the trek and we were driving back from Sankri to Dehradun. We had to say our goodbye’s to our trek instructors here only.
Suggested to Read: 15 Best Himalayan Treks in December
